John holder



(No Model.) k J. HOLDEN.

Permanent Way for Railways.

No. 237,865. Patented Feb. 15,1881.

a 5 v$ g J J07?" Holden,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HOLDEN, OF NELsoN, NEAR BUENLEY, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,865, dated February 15, 1881.

Application filed December 20, 1880. (No model.) Patented ln England September 17, 1880.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN HoLDEN, of Nelson,near Burnley, in the county of Lancaster, in that part of the United Kingdom called England, builder, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Permanent Ways of Railways or Tramways, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain,No.3,778,bearingdate September17 1880,)

of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to remedy the defects that now exist in the wooden key or wedge used in retaining the rail in position in the chair of the permanent way. The said key or wedge, when driven home between the jaw of the chair and side of the rail for the purpose of securing the same, swells or expands in damp weather and shrinks or is reduced in bulk in dry weather. A 'In the event of the latter the aforesaid key or wedge becomes loose and liable to fall from its position in the chair, to the great danger of the rails shifting.

My invention consists in forming a longitudinal groove in the surface of the key next to the jaw of the chair and interposing between said jaw and the key a bow-spring the body of which fits in the groove of the key, while its ends are bent to embrace the ends of the jaw, thereby preventing the spring from becoming displaced longitudinally, while its body bears continually against the key, as hereinafter particularly described.

In order that my invention may be fully understood and readilycarried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying sheet of drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a side view of a chair with a portion of a rail therein. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detached views of a spring and key hereinafter described.

My invention is represented in Figs. 1 and 2. A and A are the jaws of a chair, to which I apply a bent or curved spring, B, which clasps the ends of thejaws at F by its bent ends B. The wooden wedge or key 0 is. by preference, of a straight or parallel form, which is grooved or recessed in the direction of its length to correspond in shape with the pressing-surface of the spring on which it is driven, whereby the key or wedge is firmly pressed against the side of the rail D, the spring B accommodating itself to the varying expansion or contrac- 55 tion of the wooden key or wedge.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention, together with the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details set forth, as the same may be varied.

I claim The combination, with the chair, of the grooved key or wedge and the spring B, fittinginto said groove and having its ends bent to embrace the ends of the chair, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN HOLDEN.

In presence of- THOS. RICHMOND,

2 Bond Street, Burnley. J N0. WHITMORE,

llfmwhgster, Gentleman. 

